Primary Contact: Pete Moris • Email: [email protected] 2018 FOOTBALL Secondary Contact: Peter Long • Email: [email protected] LONGEST ACTIVE BOWL STREAK - 25 STRAIGHT • LONGEST ACTIVE RIVALRY STREAK - 14 STRAIGHT VS. UVA • 11 CONFERENCE TITLES - 4 ACC TITLES • HOME OF THE #LPD - 813.0 SACKS & 373 INTS LEAD FBS SINCE 1996 #20 VIRGINIA TECH (0-0, 0-0) VS. #19 FLORIDA STATE (0-0, 0-0) Games Played ............................. 36 Series ...................... FSU leads, 23-12-1 SEPT. 3, 2018 • 8 PM • TALLAHASSEE, FLA. • DOAK CAMPBELL STADIUM (79,560) • ESPN Series Began ........................ Oct. 8, 1955 Justin Fuente ......................Coach ........................Willie Taggart Home ..................................... 6-6-1 Murray State (1999)............. Alma Mater ............Western Kentucky (1998) Away .......................................5-13 19-8 (3rd Season) . .Record at School . 0-0 (1st Season) 45-31 (7th Season) . Overall Record ...............47-50 (9th Season) Neutral ......................................1-4 GAME 1 0-0 .......................Record vs. Opponent ......................... 0-0 ACC .........................................1-2 3-0 .........................Record vs. Coach ........................... 0-3 SERIES INFO Last Meeting........FSU won 28-22 at VT (11/8/12) HOKIES OPEN 2018 CAMPAIGN AT FSU KEY VT-FSU SCORING STATS TO WATCH THE #LPD LIVES HERE! • Virginia Tech enters its third season under Justin Fuente • Virginia Tech is 17-0 under Fuente when leading at halftime, • Tech’s vaunted Lunch Pail Defense finished the 2017 season in 2018, while Willie Taggart makes his debut at Florida including a 9-0 mark in 2017. fourth in the FBS in scoring defense (14.8 ppg) and posted an State as the Hokies visit Tallahassee to open the season • FSU was held to 21 points or fewer in five of its six losses in 2017. FBS-best three shutouts. on Labor Day evening (9/3). • VT has won 19 consecutive games when it holds foes to 21 points FBS LEADERS - SCORING DEFENSE, 2017 • The two squads are meeting for the first since 2012 and or fewer dating back to a 28-13 win vs. NC State (10/9/15). Teams PPG Record haven’t played in Tallahassee since 2008. • Tech held seven opponents to 14 points or fewer in 2017, 1. Alabama 11.9 13-1 2. Clemson 13.6 12-2 • Frank Beamer (VT) and Bobby Bowden (FSU) guided their including three shutouts. 3. Wisconsin 13.9 13-1 respective squads to the 1999 National Championship • Since joining The ACC in 2004, Tech is 19-1 in conference road 4. VIRGINIA TECH 14.8 9-4 Game in the Sugar Bowl. Both iconic coaches will serve games when scoring 30 points or more. 5. Washington 16.1 10-3 as honorary captains in this contest. • Over that same span, FSU is 26-5 in conference games when • Only Michigan (26.1%) held foes to a lower third-down • Tech is 2-0 in its previous openers under Fuente and scoring 30 points or more, but has lost two of its last three such conversion rate than The #LPD (25.2) in 2017. begin the season with an ACC foe for the first time since games. FSU didn’t hit 30 points at home vs. an ACC foe in 2017. • Tech tied for second among FBS squads and first in the Power Frank Beamer led VT to a 20-17 OT win vs. GT (9/3/12). BEST TWO-YEAR QB DEBUTS FOR HOKIES Five, allowing 21 Red Zone scores (13 TDs/8 FGs) in 2017. • The Hokies are 2-0 in season openers against ACC foes, • QB Josh Jackson guided Tech to nine victories as the Hokies’ • VT tied for third in the FBS with Wisconsin and Troy, allowing six also boasting a 20-16 win at NC State (9/4/05). starting QB in 2017. He has a shot to etch his name among other rushing TDs. Only Clemson (4) and TCU (5) allowed fewer. • Tech concluded the 2017 season with a 9-4 mark, elite Tech signal callers who piled up wins in their first two seasons. QB JOSH JACKSON - WHAT A DEBUT IN 2017! finishing the year No. 24 in the AP Top 25 and No. 25 in BEST WIN PCT. (SINCE 1995) • QB Josh Jackson’s 2,991 passing yards were a VT freshman the Amway USA Today Coaches Poll. 1ST TWO SEASONS AS VT STARTING QB record and the most of any FBS freshman in 2017. 1. 20-1 (.952) Michael Vick 1999-00 • FSU went 7-6 in 2017, finishing the year with a four- • Jackson’s 20 TDs and 135.2 rating were second among FBS 2. 20-4 (.833) Jim Druckenmiller 1995-96 freshmen behind Georgia QB Jake Fromm (24 TDs, 160.1 ranking). game victory streak. 4. 18-5 (..782) Tyrod Taylor 2008-09 • The Hokies are seeking to extend their streak of 3. 16-6 (.727) Sean Glennon 2006-07 FRESHMEN FBS LEADERS, PASSING YARDS consecutive bowl appearances to 26 straight seasons, 5. 18-9 (.667) Logan Thomas 2011-12 QB Team Yards Comp % Rating TDs INTs Josh Jackson VT 2,991 59.6 135.2 20 9 the longest active streak recognized by the NCAA and FIVE OF TOP SIX RUSHERS RETURN IN 2018 Jake Fromm UGA 2,615 62.2 160.1 24 7 a mark that would give Tech the third-longest string in • Including QB Josh Jackson (324 rushing yards in 2017), Tech J. Blackman FSU 2,230 58.2 135.0 19 11 NCAA history. returns five of its six top ground gainers from a year ago. Jackson led • Jackson led all FBS freshman QBs in total offense (255.0 ypg). ALL-TIME LONGEST CFB BOWL STREAKS the Hokies with six rushing TDs in 2017. • Only Georgia’s Jack Fromm (160.1) had a higher rating among 1. 35 Nebraska 1969-2002 2. 33 Michigan 1975-2006 • In total, players who accounted for 73.9% (1,666 of 2,254) of FBS freshman QBs than Jackson (135.2). 3. 25 VIRGINIA TECH 1993-present Tech’s rushing yards in 2017 are back in 2018. Those players also • Jackson’s 3,315 yards of total offense and 520 total plays were 25 Alabama 1959-1982 contributed 89.5% of VT’s rushing TDs (17 of 19) last season. by far the highest tallies of any FBS freshman. 5. 24* Florida State 1982-2004 *2005 bowl appearance vacated by the NCAA • RB Deshawn McClease led VT with 530 rushing yards in 2017, FRESHMEN FBS LEADERS, TOTAL OFFENSE, YPG including a career-high 124 yards vs. Oklahoma State (12/28/17). QB Team Plays Yards YPG • The Hokies and Seminoles have met twice in ACC Josh Jackson VT 520 3,315 255.0 Championship Games, with FSU claiming a 27-22 victory • Other key RB returnees include Steven Peoples (267 yards in Armani Rogers UNLV 335 2,251 225.1 (12/3/05) and VT winning 44-33 (12/4/10). 2017), Jalen Holston (226 yards) and Coleman Fox (223 yards). Jake Fromm UGA 346 2,694 179.6 • Since the start of the 1999 campaign (the season when VT met FSU for the national title), the Hokies and NOTABLE TIDBITS ON THE HOKIES, SEMINOLES FOOTBALL IS FAMILY AT VIRGINIA TECH Seminoles own almost identical records. • VT and FSU have never squared off previously in a season opener. • Dating back to 1987, 27 sets of brothers have played at Virginia MOST WINS (1999-PRESENT) In fact, they’ve only met twice before in September (1972 & 1990). Tech. 2018 marks the 17th consecutive season that the Hokies Record School Pct. • Frank Beamer notched his initial win over FSU by a 40-21 margin have had at least one set of brothers on its roster - the longest 1. 200-49 Oklahoma .803 (11/10/07), snapping a 12-game FSU winning streak in the series. known streak in the FBS. 2. 199-45 Ohio State .816 • Beamer’s final game as a player in the series remains the only tie • The Hokies made history in the 2018 NFL Draft when Tremaine 3. 187-62 Alabama .751 between VT and FSU - a 10-10 decision in Blacksburg (11/8/69). Edmunds (16th overall - Buffalo) and Terrell Edmunds (28th 4. 181-64 USC .739 181-65 Georgia .736 • VT owns a 39-4 record when forcing three or more INTs with Bud overall - Pittsburgh) become the first pair of siblings ever selected 6. 180-66 Florida State .732 Foster as DC. FSU hasn’t thrown more than two INTs in a game in the first round of the same NFL Draft. The eldest Edmunds 7. 179-68 VIRGINIA TECH .725 since throwing four in a 38-24 loss vs. Houston (12/31/15). brother, Trey, played at Tech and serves as a RB for New Orleans. • Dating back to 1996 when Bud Foster took over as • Only Texas A&M (8) blocked more kicks than VT (6) and FSU (6) in • Tech boasts two sets of brothers on the current roster - identical twins (redshirt juniors) Kevin and Connor Kish, as well as senior Tech’s defensive coordinator, only Ohio State (229-49, 2017. Arizona State and Northern Illinois also blocked six. DL Vinny Mihota and true freshman OL Louis Mihota. Current .824), Florida State (212-68, .757), Oklahoma (212-71, • No Power Five squad allowed fewer combined punt/KO returns Hokies OL Kyle Chung (son of Eugene) and RB Coleman Fox .749) and Alabama (207-76, .731) own more victories than VT (335) in 2017, while only Washington (458) registered (son of Rich) are following in the footsteps of their fathers who more punt return yards than VT (413) last season. than Virginia Tech (204-76, .729).